AEA 267 Culture and Climate Survey Results AEA 267 Wages & Working Conditions Meeting November 28, 2012

About the survey Tested by Gallup Organization Used to identify areas of strength and target areas for growth 12 questions with opportunities for comments 2 week window for completion with reminders 467/750 completed survey or 62% completion rate (average response rate for online surveys is 30%)

Respondent demographics Where respondents work

Strongly agree/agree = 95.08% Examples Intersections Job descriptions PD plan Mentoring Website Team/discipline meetings Collaboration w/ colleagues, coordinator, principal, or director Considerations Provide notice of and training for changes in expectation Increase consistency across sectors Identify and clarify priorities Maintain open communication Expectations at work

Strongly agree/agree = 83.3% Examples Laptop, wireless access or air card, cell phone and mileage reimbursement AEA lending library Materials budget w/ most requests honored Considerations iPads and plan to maintain technology Decrease turnaround time for orders Access to current assessment materials, a list of appropriate assessments, ideas for assessing writing/math and use of rubrics Training in Common Core - effective teaching strategies Consistency in assignments Allow flexibility in staff calendars and ‘comp’ time Necessary materials

Strongly agree/agree = 75.81% Examples Work w/ students, families, teachers Collaborate w/ or mentor colleagues Be creative, problem-solve, work independently Considerations Paperwork- streamline/reduce, avoid redundancy, make parent friendly, shift focus from paperwork to support for students, teachers, and families Opportunities for discipline specific professional development that provides relicensure credit Increase opportunity to collaborate w/ colleagues and coordinators Increase recognition, support, reinforcement, or praise from supervisors Reduce travel Opportunities to use strengths

Strongly agree/agree = 63.81% Examples Positive notes, s, or comments from teachers, students, LEA or AEA principals or administrators, colleagues, parents, or clients Evaluation conferences Considerations More specific, individual, and genuine feedback (especially from supervisors) Increased contact or visibility from coordinators Share positives during meetings Supervisors increasing understanding of employees’ jobs Monthly spotlight on a department or discipline or ‘team member of the month’ Recent recognition/praise

Strongly agree/agree = 92.72% Examples s, calls, conversations with co- workers, mentor, coordinator, principal People ‘checking-in’ Asking how professional and personal life are going AND then listening Asking for and valuing input Smiles or sincere greetings Listening and laughing together Birthday, get-well, sympathy cards Considerations Increased communication Increased feedback Increased visibility or availability of administrator Allow disciplines to make decisions and value their knowledge and ability to do so Reduce workload- has become difficult to manage and is impacting working climate Someone at work cares

Strongly agree/agree = 83.51% Examples Supervisor, discipline, colleagues, work group or learning team, mentor PD plan or evaluation rubrics On-site PD Attendance at conferences Considerations Allow input for PD that meets areas for growth rather than mandated Increase discipline-specific PD opportunities or encourage conference attendance Provide PD in instructional strategies for classroom instruction Increase opportunities for collaboration with colleagues or learning teams Offer night classes with time allocated for attendance Encouraging development

Strongly agree/agree = 70.03% Examples Sought from colleagues, LEA teachers and administrators, supervisors Surveys or focus groups Team or discipline meetings Considerations Input valued or sought more by the LEA than the AEA Use input when it is gathered- summarize information and inform people of the decision and reasoning in a timely manner Seek input from employees in the field prior to finalizing decisions to impact ‘top-down’ feel Consider increasing connection of staff to coordinators with new structure My opinions count

Connection to mission/purpose Strongly agree/agree = 82.23% Examples ‘Proud to be a part of it!’ Help, empower, serve, advocate for children, families and partners Close the achievement gap Considerations Ensure everyone knows and lives the mission Shift focus from special education compliance/paperwork to the role of each position in impacting the mission Ask, ‘What can I do to help you do your job better?’

Strongly agree/agree = 94% Examples Staff maintain dedication to students and families by going ‘above and beyond’, working nights and weekends, collaborating with one another, using own money for supplies, participating in learning teams, and asking one another ‘How can I help?’ Considerations Develop a common understanding of what quality looks like Provide training to support discipline-specific learning needs Consider workloads as quality is difficult to maintain due to quantity of work Quality work

Strongly agree/agree = 96.58% Examples of Collegiality Mentor Sharing resources and ideas, friendship, trust, laughter, care, and conversation Encouragement, networking, problem solving Team meetings, data teams, discipline teams, SINA planning team Considerations Increase opportunities for collaboration- often have limited contact with AEA staff when ‘in the field’ Consider workloads as increase has led to decreased time for collaboration and collegiality Trusted colleague

Strongly agree/agree = 72.81% Examples Professional Development Plan Evaluation rubric Evaluation conference or portfolio review Verbal or feedback from principal, supervisor, mentor, or colleague Considerations Increase opportunities to interact with supervisor Consider specific and individualized feedback Ask about professional successes and struggles Feedback regarding progress

Strongly agree/agree = 90.58% Examples Agency professional development: PLC conference, instructional coaching, fierce conversations, AEPS, Ed Insight, Boys Town, autism course, technology training, etc… Learning teams Educator Quality or Iowa Core opportunities Ability to attend conferences outside the agency Considerations Allow input regarding PD needs rather than set PD for a discipline Offer PD aligned to relicensure needs Increase available money and/or time allotted for PD Evaluate workload- difficult to participate in PD due to workload Opportunities to learn & grow

Survey Summary Areas of Strength Trusted Colleague (96.58%) Understand Expectations (95.08%) Co-workers committed to quality (94%) Areas for Growth Praise/recognition in last 7 days (63.81%) My opinions count (70.03%) Someone has given feedback about my progress in last 6 months (72.81%)

Next Steps Special Education Coordinators and Special Schools Principals review data for agency and data for sector/schools Agency Leadership team will analyze data and identify action steps Survey data summarized and shared with all staff through Intersections in December Survey summary and proposed action steps shared with AEA 267 board & Advisory Committee

Questions? Which areas of focus did you identify?